Chapter 921: Reducing Stoves

"Haha, Zhou Yu's son really has no fighting spirit. Fuyicheng still surrendered without a fight, so what are you afraid of?" Liu Pan laughed.

After conquering Liangcheng without a fight, Liu Pan's army directed its troops towards Fuyi City. As a result, the defenders in Fuyi City also opened the city gates and left. Therefore, Fuyi City also fell into the hands of Wuling army without a fight.

"It seems that Zhou Yu is really preparing to collect all the supplies of Wuling Army and start a decisive battle with our army under Quanling City." Huang Zhong said slowly.

"Haha, that's fine. Our army in the province is attacking the cities one by one. We might as well just stay under Quanling City and decide the outcome in one battle!" Liu Pan said boldly.

At this moment, footsteps suddenly sounded outside, and a soldier rushed in, clasping his fists and saying: "General Liu Lang, Old General Huang, found traces of the enemy's march and cooking not far outside the city."

Liu Pan's eyes lit up when he heard this: "Oh? Take me there quickly, I want to see it for myself!"

The army is also a human being. It is natural that they have to cook when they are marching and fighting. Moreover, they are deployed in groups and units, which has always been an important factor in judging the enemy's army. Because how many people there are in the army, naturally how many stoves must be set up, from which the number of enemy troops can be seen.

During the Warring States Period, Sun Bin, a famous military strategist of the Qi State, used a plan to lure Pang Juan of the Wei State to chase him. As a result, he set up an ambush at a predetermined location, and finally defeated Pang Juan and shot him to death with random arrows.

Liu Pan couldn't wait to rush out and followed the sentry to the place where Jiangdong Army set up a stove.

"General, this is where Jiang Dongjun cooks."

"Well, let me take a look."

Liu Pan stretched out his spear and picked up the ashes on the ground and looked carefully. It was obvious that these stoves were used for cooking. As a general who marched and fought, he was naturally expert in these things, so he could tell at a glance that this was true.

"Yeah." Liu Pan carefully counted the number of stove pits. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he couldn't help laughing.

"What's wrong, public authority?" Huang Zhong asked.

"Hahaha, brother Han Sheng!"

Liu Pan said with a smile: "The enemy army clearly numbered tens of thousands, but the number of people in this pit was only about 8,000. It seems that there was a reason why Zhou Yu passively avoided the battle. The soldiers under his command were as timid as rats. They didn’t dare to fight with our army at all and ran away one after another. How could Zhou Yu dare to fight with our army?”

But Huang Zhong was cautious by nature: "Public power, it's better to be careful. What if Zhou Yu imitates Sun Bin of the Warring States Period this time and uses a trick to confuse our army?"

"Oh? This is something we must guard against."

Although Liu Pan had a fierce and irritable temperament, he did not refuse to listen to anything he said. Combined with the abnormality these days, Zhou Yu really might have set up a plan to lure the enemy.

He nodded solemnly: "What you said makes sense. It seems that Zhou Yu may have set up a conspiracy this time."

Huang Zhong breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Liu Pan becoming cautious.

After conquering Fuyi City, three hundred soldiers were left to defend the city, while the two men led the army to continue marching and captured Taoyang City.

On the only way Zhou Yu left, he still found the enemy's pits, but this time there were fewer pits than the last time, with only about 7,000 pits left.

"General, deserters from the Jiangdong Army were discovered in Taoyang City!" his subordinates reported loudly.

"Oh? Come forward quickly!"

Not long after, some soldiers under his command brought up the captured Jiangdong Army deserters.

"General, have mercy on me, general, have mercy on me, I am willing to join the general's command!" The deserter shouted as soon as he was brought up, with tears streaming down his face, looking as timid as a mouse.

Liu Pan sneered: "Let me ask you, what happened to Zhou Yu? Did he deliberately set up a plan to reduce the number of soldiers to seduce our army?"

The deserter shook his head: "No, although the Governor boosted morale, most of our troops are natives of Jingnan. They have only been under the Sun family for a few months. How can they be willing to sacrifice their lives for the Sun family? Now I heard that General Liu Lang and Governor Gao The army advanced in two directions, but we did not dare to compete with the king's army, so we fled away one after another, and I am hiding in Taoyang City."

"oh?"

Liu Pan sneered, suddenly slapped the case, and shouted: "Okay, how dare you deceive me? Drag me down and beat him!"

"Here!"

Two guards with big muscles and round waists had already walked up, grabbed the deserter from the left and the right, and dragged him out.

"Ah? General, don't hit me. Everything I say is the truth. I don't dare to deceive you at all!" the deserter shouted.

However, Liu Pan just sneered, and the deserter was dragged out and beaten randomly. The stick hit him hard on the buttocks. There was a dull sound and screams and wails, but Liu Pan was unmoved at all.

"Do you still dare to lie to me?" Liu Pan said coldly.

"General Mingjian, the villain really did not lie to the general." The deserter whispered.

"You still dare to deceive me? Beat me!" Liu Pan frowned angrily.

"Ah? Don't fight, don't fight. I really didn't deceive General Liu Lang."

The deserter was beaten unconscious, but he always insisted that there were more and more deserters under Zhou Yu's command, which made Liu Pan breathe a sigh of relief.

"It seems that there are really more and more deserters under Zhou Yu's command, which is a good thing for me." Liu Pan said with a slight smile.

"Hurry and call Brother Han Sheng!" Liu Pan ordered his soldiers.

Soon after, Huang Zhong came over fully clothed, and Liu Pan immediately repeated what had just happened to Huang Zhong.

"Brother Han Sheng, the deserter was tortured by me, but he always admitted that there were more and more deserters under Zhou Yu's command. It seems that this time he really can't stand it anymore."

Liu Pan's eyes flashed and he said: "Our army can capture this fighter plane, speed up to intercept Zhou Yu, and appear unexpectedly in front of the enemy. Zhou Yu's army has no intention to fight in the first place, isn't it bound to be defeated?"

Huang Zhong shook his head: "Our army should be more cautious and advance step by step. Sooner or later, Zhou Yu will reveal his flaws."

"Brother Han Sheng, you are too careful. Is it because you are too old?" Liu Pan said dissatisfied.

Huang Zhong is over fifty, close to sixty. Although he can still ride a horse and draw a three-stone bow, his hair and beard are a little gray, making him look a bit old.

Liu Pan was a little dissatisfied with Huang Zhong's excessive caution. He felt that he was too old after all, so he did not dare to attack.

Huang Zhong couldn't help but frown: "Gong Quan, what are you talking about? I just think it's better to be careful."

"Okay, the enemy troops are constantly reducing their numbers, which means that the number of deserters from Jiangdong Army is gradually increasing. If our army catches up, we can win in one battle. What are we afraid of?"

Hearing Liu Pan's words, Huang Zhong shook his head helplessly and replied: "Okay, in this case our army will catch up, but the front and rear must be divided into two parts to prevent the enemy from plotting an ambush."